When: 7.30pm on Wednesday 1 December 2010
Where: The Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HE

It’s been a long time coming, but we’re glad to announce Menomena‘s first visit since we put their debut Manchester show on three years ago.

Menomena are an experimental rock band from Portland, Oregon, made up of Brent Knopf (guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel), Justin Harris (bass, guitar, baritone sax and alto sax) and Danny Seim (percussion). The band’s name was chosen for ‘the way it rolls off the tongue, sexually or something’ and has no specific meaning – although it is often assumed to refer to the Piero Umiliani song Mah Nà Mah Nà, a staple of The Muppet Show.

In America the band are signed to Seattle’s Barsuk Records, home of Death Cab and Rilo Kiley, while in Europe they’re with Berlin’s City Slang (The Notwist, Caribou, Calexico, Black Mountain). Comparisons have been made to Deerhoof, Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear and Fiery Furnaces. Personally, we’d add the Flaming Lips to that bunch.

Menomena’s first album, Friend and Foe, received critical acclaim all over the place. ‘It’s stunning how many clever and exciting moments stick with you – music this full of ideas, sections and material can come across as overstuffed, but this feels just right almost everywhere,’ said Pitchfork, giving it 8.5 out of 10.

Mines, the follow-up album, is being released this summer after a three-and-a-half year wait. BBC Music called it ‘a creative achievement on a level with TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain‘ while the Observer described it as ‘evoking Arcade Fire’s shadowy grandeur‘.

Support comes from Lexington, Kentucky’s James Friley – aka Idiot Glee. Vice says of the Moshi Moshi artist: ‘Somewhere between Jens Lekman‘s thoughtful crooning and the classic auteur-pop of Brian Wilson or even Another Green World’s Brian Eno.’ The Guardian also featured Idiot Glee as their New Band of the Day.

Tickets are available from the bar, Piccadilly Records, Common (no booking fee), Seetickets.com, WeGotTickets.com and on 0871 220 0260.